FOOD -- 11:

ENJOY ‘KERALA SATHYA’ EVERY WEEK AT COONOOR

BY P S SUNDAR 

A worthy introduction to the culinary pleasures in the tourist town of Coonoor this summer was ‘Kerala Sathya’ at the quite popular Quality Restaurant in Bedford in upper Coonoor.

“We started this aiming at the summer not just in The Nilgiris but in neighbouring countries including the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.  Many residents of these countries travel to The Nilgiris in June and July when mercury peaks to unbearable levels there.  Educational institutions are closed for summer vacation that time there enabling parents to take leave and create worthy holiday for them in The Nilgiris”, G Ujjual, Managing Director, Quality group of Restaurants, said.

“Besides, even in North India, schools go on vacation in June and July due to summer heat.  So, practically, we get all such summer visitors in the next two months as well in The Nilgiris”, he detailed.

“Most such foreign visitors are from Kerala origin.   We also get visitors from Kerala all through the year. We have been hearing of complaints from them about non-availability of food suited to their taste in The Nilgiris.  Besides, even such Keralites are able to enjoy Malayalam feast only on festival days in their State.     So, we thought of pleasing them with Kerala cuisine.   At the same time, this will help us to introduce Kerala dishes to the non-Keralites coming from various parts of the country.  So, we launched the ‘Kerala Sathya’,” reasoned Ujjual who himself is a Malayali.

Quality Restaurant has all along been a popular place for lunch and dinner to the residents of The Nilgiris as well including the families of the Defence officers undergoing courses at Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington.   And, these officers are from various parts of the country and many friendly countries.

“We offer vegetarian buffet for lunch on all days but have now introduced the Kerala Sathya for the weekend.   While this Kerala buffet is vegetarian, we offer a choice of non-vegetarian dishes besides this”, noted Ujjual.  

“Our spread includes Idiappam, Kadalaikari, Nai choru, Eliseri, Mushroom Milagu, Masala Kari, Avial, Olan, Kalan, Thoran, Morukalan, Kootukari, Pachadi, pappadam, Nenthira Varthupperi, Chakra Varathupperi, Kondattam, Achcharu and Paruppu Prathaman.  While these are authentic Kerala dishes, we also have plain rice, sambar, rasam, curd and coconut chutney in the spread”, he explained.

“More importantly, we will keep changing the dishes to help guests enjoy different food on their repeat visits.  We will also get feedback from the guests and go for necessary changes”, Ujjual asserted.

On the non-vegetarian side, chicken varieties, Nethili and Aila fish fry and chicken liver fry are popular.  

 “Our restaurants in Ooty and Coonoor open at 11 am and go on till 11 pm every day with ala carte options as well.  We specialise in lunches and dinner with many North Indian options”, said Ujjual, a graduate from the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Tourism, and a former Executive of the Taj group of hotels.  He is among the successful entrepreneurs running multi-cuisine restaurants in The Nilgiris for many years now.

  

` 234 for vegetarian buffet

` 250 for non-vegetarian

Table reservation can be made over phone 98422 36400

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)